1. Technical Field of the Invention
The principles of the present invention generally relate to construction set components, and, more specifically, but not by way of limitation, to construction set components designed for rapidly constructing a user-definable apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
The original erector set was filed for patent in 1901 and issued in 1906. Since that time, erector sets have more or less remained the same. The erector set generally includes fixed sized parts having fixed geometry and fixed coupling locations. The erector set includes parts that have circular holes that are utilized to couple various mechanical parts together. The erector set has and continues to be generally utilized as a toy for children to construct structures that typically are incapable of handling dynamic stresses and loads. For example, a structure constructed from the erector set is typically incapable of being utilized to perform specific tasks that include heavy lifting.
The original erector set elements, while useful in terms of producing structures of fixed shapes and sizes, do not allow for atypical shapes and sizes of structures. One reason is that the components include holes located on the half pitch spacing. A second reason that atypical shapes and sizes of structures are prevented includes a limited number of structural elements or parts provided in a set and, therefore, a limited design of structures are capable of being formed. Additionally, the erector set does not include a wide variety of coupling elements to provide structurally sound, moveable joints for the structural elements. Further yet, the parts provided in the erector set typically are incapable of easily being reshaped and/or resized beyond their originally provided form.
Newer erector sets and add-ons to the original erector set provide for motors that may be utilized to add functionality to the structures that are created. However, the motors that are provided are generally not overly useful due to the power of the motors being low and the structural integration between the motor and the structural elements being inadequate. The motors that are provided generally have limited motion control (e.g., fixed speed and limited torque range). In addition, the motor provided typically includes a round shaft extending from the motor, where a set screw is generally required to couple the shaft to a mechanical element. Alternatively, a D-shaped shaft is provided with the erector set. However, the D-shaped shaft is problematic in that coupling the shaft to the mechanical elements required the use of additional structural coupling components. Also, both of these shaft types are problematic in that transferring torque of any magnitude is difficult to impossible simply because of interfacing capability between the shaft and structural elements. Therefore, dynamic loads and stresses of more than insignificant levels result in an utter failure of the drive capability of the motor.
In addition to the motor shaft coupling problems, the coupling of the motor to the structural elements provided in the erector set is problematic due to the motor housing not having adequate structural elements. Generally, those who want to attach the motor to the structural elements have to produce an ad hoc coupling structure. In other words, conventional erector sets do not provide an adequate number and type of coupling components for a motor housing to be connected or fastened to a structure. Because of the heretofore mentioned problems of the erector components lacking the ability to handle dynamic loads and stresses, attaching a motor to a conventional erector set structure, the overall structure tends to collapse and fall apart upon the occurrence of a dynamic load or stress of even minor magnitude. The user is therefore forced to reconstruct the structure on a frequent basis. Although gears, chains, and other translational devices are provided in conventional erector sets, the chains, for example, are inadequate for being utilized to drive loads of functional capacity.
Modern educational systems have begun to instruct students in the art of building dynamic structures, such as those used in robot competitions. In fact, governments have begun to require that science, physics, and mathematics classes include the use of robotic and mechanical devices to display practical aspects of theoretical principles. Because the educational systems are required to produce these devices, and because of the failure of the erector sets in the past to address practical implementations of these types of structures in robotics, rapid machine prototyping kit that is not limited by fixed structural components, inadequate coupling components, low powered motors, non-dynamic capacity drive systems, and structural components capable of forming dynamically, structurally sound structures is needed.